The Second Reading of the Sri Lanka Electricity Bill was passed in Parliament a short while ago by a majority of 44 votes.
The bill received 103 votes in favour and 59 against.
A division on the bill was taken at the end of today's debate on the bill. The Supreme Court had earlier said that certain clauses in the bill are in violation of provisions of the Constitution and as such, would require a special 2/3 Parliamentary majority in their current form. However, the Supreme Court had stated that these inconsistencies would cease if the amendments suggested by the Court are adopted.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara told Parliament that the government would include the amendments suggested by the Supreme Court so that the bill can be passed by a simple Parliamentary majority.
The Third Reading of the bill was subsequently passed with amendments and without a vote.
A Sri Lankan man was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi airport for attempting to smuggle wildlife out of the country after three ball pythons were found hidden in his underwear, the Bangkok post reported.
The UK government has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries which allows for more garments manufactured in Sri Lanka to enter the UK tariff-free.
Read these and more on tomorrow’s edition of the Sunday Times
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